State Nomination Australia 2026: 190 and 491 Trends by State

State and Territory nomination is the mechanism that converts a borderline 189 visa candidate into a competitive one. The 190 visa adds 5 points to your SkillSelect total; the 491 adds 15. But state nomination is not a safety net you fall back on when the 189 fails — it is a parallel strategy that should run concurrently from the start, particularly for applicants in Tier 3 and Tier 4 occupations.

Understanding where each state's nomination program is heading in 2025–2026 — which states have allocation, which occupations they are prioritizing, and what their selection criteria look like — is the difference between a targeted application and a scattershot of registrations that go nowhere.

How State Nomination Works

Each Australian State and Territory operates its own skilled migration program, funded by a separate allocation from the federal government's total Skill stream. For 2025–2026:

• Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated): 33,000 places nationally
• Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional): 7,500 places nationally

States do not draw from the same pool — each has its own quota, its own occupation list, and its own assessment criteria. Being nominated by Victoria has no effect on your standing with Western Australia. You can apply to multiple states simultaneously.

State nomination processes are also entirely separate from the federal SkillSelect queue. Receiving a state nomination does not guarantee a federal 189 or 190 invitation, but it does add points to your EOI. State nomination programs are invitation-based — most states issue invitations from a registration of interest, not simply from a live queue.

Western Australia: The 2026 Standout

Western Australia secured 2,200 of the 7,500 national 491 places for 2025–2026 — making it far and away the largest single allocation in the country. Victoria received 700, Queensland 750. For occupations in construction, health, engineering, and trades, WA is the most statistically probable state nomination pathway.

WA's expanded allocation reflects the state's infrastructure demand: mining, construction, and healthcare are all experiencing genuine workforce shortages. Occupations such as Civil Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Registered Nurses, and various construction trades are consistently invited through WA's 491 program.

WA's 491 nomination requirement is that you live and work in regional Western Australia. Perth itself qualifies as a designated regional area for visa purposes — which makes WA the most accessible "regional" destination for many applicants who want regional points without rural isolation.

For applicants sitting at 70–75 base points, a WA 491 nomination delivering +15 points produces an 85–90 point EOI, which is competitive in the federal SkillSelect rounds.

Victoria: High Bar, Selective Model

Victoria operates a Registration of Interest (ROI) system rather than an open application. The state issues invitations from the ROI pool based on its own weighting criteria, which in 2025–2026 heavily favour:

• Onshore applicants currently employed in Victoria
• High salary (typically above the median for the occupation)
• Superior English
• Specific occupations in shortage (healthcare, education, engineering)

Victoria's selectivity means that applicants offshore, or those without Victorian employment, are rarely invited. The state is not a volume program — it is targeted at high-value applicants already contributing to Victoria's economy.

For the 190, Victoria has historically had a relatively high cut-off for Tier 3 and Tier 4 occupations. IT professionals and accountants often find Victoria inaccessible without onshore employment and a salary well above threshold.

New South Wales: High Volume, Opaque Cut-Offs

NSW runs a significant state nomination program for both 190 and 491 visas. The state has been less transparent about its exact criteria and cut-off scores than WA or South Australia, which makes targeting NSW nominations more difficult for applicants without migration agent advice.

In 2025–2026, NSW has maintained a strong focus on healthcare and education. IT and finance applicants typically require high point scores (85–90+ on the 190) and often need Australian work experience to be competitive for a NSW invitation.

NSW does invite for 491 (regional) nominations, covering a broad range of occupations. Designated regional areas in NSW include large regional centres such as Newcastle, Wollongong, and the Central Coast — making regional life relatively accessible from Sydney for those who qualify.

South Australia: Transparent and Accessible

South Australia has historically been one of the more transparent and accessible state nomination programs, publishing regular invitation data. SA tends to prioritize a wider range of occupations than Victoria, and has been more willing to invite applicants at lower point scores when the occupation is in genuine shortage.

SA's regional allocation for the 491 includes areas around Adelaide's outer metro and regional SA. For applicants in healthcare, engineering, or trades who are targeting a 491 pathway with regional flexibility, SA is worth monitoring alongside WA.

Queensland: Trades and Healthcare

Queensland's nomination program focuses on occupations aligned with the state's infrastructure build and tourism recovery — construction trades, engineering, and nursing. The state issued 750 491 places for 2025–2026. Designated regional areas include areas outside Brisbane's inner suburbs.

Queensland's requirements tend to favor applicants with a clear intention to settle and work in Queensland, which for offshore applicants means demonstrating a genuine connection (employment offer, spouse in QLD, etc.).

Strategic Approach: How to Target State Nomination

Step 1: Identify which states actively nominate your occupation. Not every state nominates every MLTSSL occupation. Check each state's published occupation list — they change annually.

Step 2: Assess your realistic eligibility. Victoria requires onshore employment; WA is more open to offshore applicants for the 491. Your current situation (onshore or offshore) significantly affects which states are viable.

Step 3: Lodge registrations of interest with multiple states simultaneously. There is no conflict in applying to multiple states. If two states invite you, you choose one to accept.

Step 4: Lodge separate EOIs in SkillSelect for each pathway you are pursuing (189, 190, 491). Tailor your EOI for each — particularly indicating genuine regional willingness on the 491 EOI.

Step 5: Do not cancel your 189 EOI while waiting for state nomination. If a 189 invitation arrives before state nomination, you take it.

For a detailed analysis of the dual-pathway hedge — including state-specific cut-off intelligence and how to sequence your EOI submissions to maximize queue position across multiple pathways — see the Australia Skilled Independent Visa (189) Guide.